WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine

What an incredible evening of celebration! 🎉

Faculty and staff gathered at Chateau Rive in downtown Spokane for the 2026 College of Medicine Awards & Recognition Ceremony to honor outstanding accomplishments, celebrate career milestones, and recognize the exceptional contributions that advance our mission every day.

The evening was an opportunity to connect with colleagues, build new relationships, and celebrate the people whose dedication makes a lasting impact on our college and communities across Washington.

The 2026 Community Connections Showcase celebrated the dedication of fourth-year medical students and community partners working together to improve health outcomes across Washington state.

Through the Rural and Urban Underserved Medicine curriculum, students develop projects that address real community needs, from expanding HIV prevention education and mental health resource access to improving care for underserved populations and supporting adaptive sports initiatives.

This year, students were recognized with Gold and Silver Impact Awards for outstanding projects, while community teaching sites received the inaugural Teaching Impact Awards for their mentorship, collaboration, and commitment to medical education.

Thank you to all of our students, faculty, clinicians, and community partners whose work continues to advance our mission of serving Washington’s rural and underserved communities.

⚠️ Amazing things ahead! ⚠️

Two College of Medicine students are taking their passion for improving healthcare beyond borders as Fulbright U.S. Student Program award recipients.🌟

Mikayla Beckley has been awarded a Fulbright-Fogarty Public Health Fellowship to Malawi, where she will study pediatric cardiovascular surgical services and outcomes. Her work is driven by a commitment to ensuring every child has access to high-quality, compassionate care.🌎🫂

Abigael Mbaluka will return to Kenya to conduct research focused on creating a national brain tumor registry, helping provide a clearer understanding of the country's neuro-oncology needs and supporting future advances in diagnosis and treatment.🗺️🧠

Through research, service, and international collaboration, both students are helping address critical healthcare challenges while representing WSU on a global stage. Congratulations, Mikayla and Abigael!

To Read More: https://ow.ly/IsQo50Z9x4m

Watch out world!

Second-year medical students Olivia Willis and Victoria Caldera went and presented their research at the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine national conference in Atlanta! The two students presented their research project, “Emergency Department Care Differences of Abdominal Pain for Patients with a Primary Language other than English.”👏

Their project focused on differences in emergency department care for patients whose primary language is not English, helping shed light on ways healthcare systems can better serve vulnerable patient populations.

We’re proud to see WSU medical students conducting research that promotes equitable, compassionate, and patient-centered care. 🩺

Read more about their work and WSU Medicine research initiatives: https://ow.ly/RXKq50Z4P0x

Mark and Sheryl Ossello’s commitment to the College of Medicine is helping shape the future of healthcare in Washington.

Their support for scholarships, student learning opportunities, and medical education initiatives in Spokane reflects a shared belief that investing in future physicians strengthens entire communities.

By supporting WSU medical students, they are helping expand access to care for tomorrow, especially in rural and underserved regions.

Read more about their story and support for WSU Medicine: https://ow.ly/R63e50Z4OhE

🌟Jessica Liu and Amy Wang, fourth-year students at the College of Medicine, received a Wild Card Ribbon in the innovation category at the Society of Hospital Medicine National Conference for their presentation on the College’s Medical Chinese initiative.

The student-led program focuses on reducing language barriers in healthcare through medical Mandarin practice, culturally competent care, and community outreach efforts in the Tri-Cities region.

Their work reflects the power of innovation, collaboration, and service in improving patient outcomes across Washington and beyond.

Read more about their award-winning initiative here: https://ow.ly/OHvb50Z4Nmc

The first graduates of Washington State University’s Master of Healthcare Administration and Leadership (MHAL) program are already making an impact across health care systems in Washington state.

From reducing cancer screening backlogs to modernizing specialty referral systems for underserved patients, the inaugural cohort’s capstone projects are driving meaningful change in patient care and organizational efficiency statewide.

Designed through a partnership between the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and Carson College of Business, the online program equips working professionals with leadership, strategic planning, and business skills to tackle today’s most pressing healthcare challenges.

Applications for Fall 2026 are now open. Read the full story and learn more about the MHAL program.

🔗 https://ow.ly/pSN050Z2VbC

Way to go Class of 2022 graduate Erin Kaya, MD, on being named chief resident in Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Department of Radiation Medicine! 🎉

Dr. Kaya’s leadership and mentorship are already making an impact on the next generation of physicians. Multiple WSU medical students have rotated with the department to explore careers in radiation oncology, including Class of 2025 graduates Logan Patterson, MD, and Eemon Tizpa, MD, who both matched into radiation oncology residency at OHSU.

“Without Dr. Kaya, I would not have even known where to start when trying to match into the very niche specialty,” Patterson said. “Her guidance was instrumental to me understanding the specialty and eventually successfully matching.”

We’re proud to see Cougs supporting Cougs and helping shape the future of medicine. ❤️🩺

Read Full Article Here: https://ow.ly/Ntp650Z2m8W

Big congratulations to Xiang Yu “Vincent” Gao, a third-year medical student at the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, for presenting at Digestive Disease Week 2026! 🎉

Vincent presented two research abstracts at the internationally recognized conference, including a highly competitive oral presentation for top-ranked submissions. His collaborative research with partners at Providence, University of Washington, and Stanford University focused on gastrointestinal cancer prevention and patient outcomes.

We’re proud to see our students contributing meaningful research that advances the future of medicine. Congratulations, Vincent! 👏

To read more: https://ow.ly/xMQL50Z0qVz